‘But if she does seek sanctuary here,’ the old devil continued, ‘in the bosom of her family, I’ll take her in and shelter her. If you’ve maltreated her...’
Cesare stood unmoving, refusing to react to such slander. He wasn’t the one who’d treated Ida badly.
He glanced at the stocky man standing in a corner behind where Calogero sat at his oversized desk. Bruno looked every inch the thug Ida had described him. The thought of her at that man’s mercy carved a hollow through Cesare’s belly.
‘Yet Ida was seen leaving my villa with your man.’ He nodded at Bruno.
‘You astound me.’ Calogero swung around in his seat. ‘What do you know about this, Bruno?’
‘Nothing, boss.’ He turned his blank gaze to Cesare. ‘Whoever saw it was mistaken. I haven’t seen her in years.’
The curl at the corners of his mouth belied his words.
Cesare itched to force the truth from his lying mouth. It might yet come to that, but Cesare suspected violence wouldn’t get him far. Calogero would call in reinforcements and Cesare would be overpowered before he could find her.
Frustration rose, but behind it was fear that he was too late. The desperate urge to smash through this pretence vied with cold dread. But revealing his feelings would be disastrous.
Calogero was a vampire, living off others, sucking them dry in his quest for power, riches and recognition.
‘Well,’ Cesare murmured, flexing constricted shoulders. ‘That’s unfortunate. I had a proposition for you but if you don’t know where she is...’ He spread his hands, palms up. ‘Never mind. I won’t waste any more of your time.’
‘What proposition?’
Calogero might be a devious strategist and downright dangerous, but he’d never make a poker player. Those rheumy eyes glistened greedily, and he sat forward, knobbly hands spread on the desk, practically slavering in anticipation.
Cesare met his eyes but didn’t speak straight away.
‘You want to punish her, don’t you? That’s why you want her so badly,’ the creaky voice continued, and to Cesare’s disgust the old man smiled approvingly. ‘I can’t blame you. A man isn’t a man if he can’t control his womenfolk.’
Cesare bit back a riposte that arealman didn’t need to control anyone. But he wasn’t here to argue. The stakes were too high.
‘Since you have no idea where she is, there’s no point discussing it. If she contacts you, call me and we can do business.’
He swung around as if to leave, his heart pummelling his ribcage. If this didn’t work...
‘Perhaps... Who knows? Maybe I can help you after all. What are you offering?’
Slowly Cesare turned back. Then he drew out the paper his lawyer had drawn up under strenuous protest in the time it had taken Cesare to drive to the address Lorenzo had found.
Calogero sat forward, his spidery body ready to pounce.
Cesare tossed the paper onto the desk and watched him grab it, eyes widening as he read. Then read again. Finally, he sat back. ‘This is nothing. Not a contract, just a memorandum of understanding. It’s not binding.’
‘It will carry weight in a court of law if we both sign it.’ Cesare paused, letting that sink in. ‘Or if you prefer to wait...’ He glanced at his watch, wondering how long before the others arrived. ‘My legal team is drawing up the detailed contract now. I didn’t give them much time, but I wanted to prove my intentions in the meantime.’
The old man said nothing. Cesare could see the wheels turning in his brain.
‘But it’s academic,’ Cesare continued. ‘The offer stands only if Ida is returned to me. Immediately. Since you don’t know her whereabouts...’
Yellowed teeth were bared in a smile that was as eager as it was horrible. ‘There may be a way I could help. As a favour to an old friend.’
Cesare checked a contemptuous sneer, merely raising his eyebrows. ‘Go on.’
‘If I were to find the girl and bring her to you—’
‘Not good enough. I want hernow.’
He drew a fountain pen from his pocket and approached the desk. Calogero licked his lips and looked down at the paper. The man was greedy. He wanted the deal, but he wanted to keep Ida too.